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Pedal the Cause Launches “Ride for a Child” Program in Partnership with Rady Children’s

Rady Children’s joins the PEDAL team alongside UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center, Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute, and Salk Institute for Biological Studies as the newest beneficiary in 2015

San Diego, CA (March 26, 2015) —Pedal the Cause, the grassroots bike tour that raises money to fund innovative cancer research in San Diego, is pleased to announce the launch of its new Ride for a Child program, in partnership with Rady Children’s Hospital- San Diego.

Ride for a Child (RFC) is a special way to connect pediatric oncology patients at Rady Children’s with PEDAL cycling teams. Getting to know each other through shared activities and meet-ups, teams are able to form a meaningful connection with their child and family, with many teams and families staying in touch long after the event. For participating children, RFC offers an exciting distraction from their treatments and gives them a supportive team of individuals who will train, fundraise and ride in their honor.

Rady Children’s President and CEO Donald Kearns, M.D., shares his vision for the success of the new partnership with PEDAL and the development of the Ride for a Child program, “Our goal is that one day, these children will PEDAL as healthy adults – cancer free.”

At PEDAL’s March 13th $1 million Check Presentation & Grant Awards Ceremony, it was formally announced that Rady Children’s will join San Diego’s three world-class cancer research centers as the fourth member and designated beneficiary of Pedal the Cause 2015 funding and support.

Rady Children’s is the largest children’s hospital in California based on admissions and provides care to 88 percent of the region’s children. The sixth largest children’s hospital in the country, Rady Children’s provided care to more than 196,000 children in 2014.

ABOUT RIDE FOR A CHILD

HOW IT WORKS
Any team of 10 or more riders can Ride for a Child. Participating PEDAL teams are matched with a child who has been diagnosed with cancer and is currently undergoing treatment at Rady Children’s. Getting to know each other through shared activities, teams can rally around their child, providing encouragement and involving them in their fundraising as they train. For children and their families, teams offer support, enthusiasm and hopefully a fun distraction during their treatment.

For more information about the Ride for a Child program, please call Lisa Alexander at 760.642.2724 or visit the Pedal website at gopedal.org.

About Pedal the Cause
Pedal the Cause San Diego is a California non-profit public benefit corporation established to fund, plan and manage an annual cycling fundraiser with a mission to end cancer by raising money for innovative life-saving cancer research at UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center, Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute, Salk Institute for Biological Studies and Rady Children’s Hospital – San Diego. It is our hope that research funded by Pedal the Cause will ultimately lead to a cure for cancer. For more information, please visit gopedal.org.

The third annual Pedal the Cause event takes place on September 18-20, 2015 and will feature courses for all cycling abilities, as well as new partnerships with key organizations in the community. Participants can choose a one-day ride (10, 25, or 50-miles), a two-day ride (75 or 150-miles with an overnight stay in Temecula), as well as a spinning option and Superhero Kids Challenge. Virtual rider and volunteer opportunities are also available to those who choose not to ride, but want to make a difference in the fight against cancer.

Registration for PEDAL15 is now open. For more information about courses, training rides/clinics, volunteer opportunities, or to make a donation, please visit gopedal.org.

About Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego
Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego is a 520-bed pediatric care facility providing the largest source of comprehensive pediatric medical services in San Diego, Southern Riverside and Imperial counties. Rady Children’s is the only hospital in the San Diego area dedicated exclusively to pediatric healthcare and is the region’s only designated pediatric trauma center. In June 2014, U.S. News & World Report ranked Rady Children’s among the best children’s hospitals in the nation in all ten pediatric specialties the magazine surveyed. For more information, visit rchsd.org.

About the NCI-Designated Cancer Centers
UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center is home to nearly 350 medical and radiation oncologists, cancer surgeons, and researchers. It is one of only 41 National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer centers in the country, a rare honor distinguishing exceptionally high achievement in research, clinical care, education and community outreach and partnerships. For more information, visit cancer.ucsd.edu.

Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute is dedicated to discovering the fundamental molecular causes of disease and devising the innovative therapies of tomorrow. Sanford-Burnham takes a collaborative approach to medical research with major programs in cancer, neurodegeneration and stem cells, diabetes, and infectious, inflammatory, and childhood diseases. The Institute is recognized for its National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Center and expertise in drug discovery technologies. Sanford-Burnham is a nonprofit, independent institute that employs 1,200 scientists and staff in San Diego (La Jolla), Calif., and Orlando (Lake Nona), Fla. For more information, visit sanfordburnham.org.

The Salk Institute for Biological Studies is one of the world’s preeminent basic research institutions, where internationally renowned faculty probe fundamental life science questions in a unique, collaborative, and creative environment. Focused both on discovery and on mentoring future generations of researchers, Salk scientists make groundbreaking contributions to our understanding of cancer, aging, Alzheimer’s, diabetes and infectious diseases by studying neuroscience, genetics, cell and plant biology, and related disciplines. Faculty achievements have been recognized with numerous honors, including Nobel Prizes and memberships in the National Academy of Sciences. Founded in 1960 by polio vaccine pioneer Jonas Salk, MD, the Institute is an independent nonprofit organization and architectural landmark.

Media Contact Information
Lisa Alexander
lisa@gopedal.org
760.642.2724